Why Johnny Hates Sports: Why Organized Youth Sports Are Failing Our Children and What We Can Do about It [Paperback]

Fred Engh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2002

All across the country, a growing number of children are dropping out of organized sports—not because they don’t like to play, but because the system they play in is failing them. Written by one of this country’s leading advocates of youth sports, Why Johnny Hates Sports explains why many of the original goals of youth leagues have been affected by today’s win-at-all-costs attitude. It then documents the negative

physical and psychological impact that parents, coaches, and administrators can have on children, while providing effective solutions to each of the problems covered.

Why Johnny Hates Sports is both an exposé of abuses and a call to arms. It clearly illustrates a serious problem that has plagued youth sports for too long. Most important, it provides practical answers that can alter this destructive course.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Engh, a longtime activist in youth sports, argues that children should be allowed to have fun and learn the fundamentals of the game without the pressures of overzealous parents, coaches, and administrators looking to mold the next Ken Griffey or Kobe Bryant. He calls for a return to fair play, teamwork, and enjoyment, a novel idea in these days of pushing children to achievements beyond their years. The author offers examples of how pressuring children, whether intentional or not, can prove disastrous on the field. Perhaps worse is the loss of sports as a healthy outlet to kids who are turned off by bad experiences at an early age. Johnny is full of anecdotes about oblivious coaches more interested in winning than protecting the youngster's fragile body and ego and parents living vicariously through their progeny. Every parent who has a child involved in youth sports, or who is thinking about it, should read Engh's book as a reminder that the phrase is "play ball." Ron Kaplan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Fred Engh has been involved in youth sports for over thirty years—as a coach, athletic director, and sports educator. In 1981, he founded a program that evolved into The National Alliance For Youth Sports (NAYS), a nonprofit organization that works to provide safe sports for America’s youth. As president

of the Alliance, Engh has appeared on numerous television shows, including Dateline NBC and 20/20.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Square One Publishers (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075700041X
• ISBN-13: 978-0757000416
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Essays

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To the point, January 27, 2000

By 

Harry T. White (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Johnny Hates Sports (Paperback)

Sports is an important topic in many families and schools in the USA and abroad. Engh takes a courageous position and that is to say, we, as parents and amateur coaches have twisted the idea of organized sports competition and made it into a grueling exercise for its innocent victims: our children. Engh rightly points out that parents and ignorant coaches who use their amateur leadership position to wrongly influence our children as to what fair sportsmanship is all about. Engh points out that "winning" has unfortunately become the Holy Grail of youth competition. I'd rather prefer what I heard one Chinese table tennis champion say a few years back, "Winning is temporary, friendship is permanent." You only have to attend a local sports event or pick up a newspaper to hear about the tragic ways children are exposed to bickering parents, foul-mouthed opponents, loud mouth fans, unrewarded referees. Engh places himself in a vulnerable position to put the spotlighht on the very people he is asking to support his organization nationwide: the coaches, schools, youth organizations and parents. In youth sports, the child is supposed to come first, like it was in sandlot baseball and other sports in the past. But now "the organization" comes first, and corporate sponsors. children in youth sports have become a commodity. I wouldn't be surpised if some youth organizations try to ban his book because it exposes some of the politics, in-fighting and complete insensitivity that exists in youth sports today. There are many good, sensitive parents and single persons who are engaged in helping youth sports. I hope everyone of them buys a couple dozen of Engh's book and distributes them to their local libraries. Good luck, Mr. Engh ! We hope your book enlightenens the next person who comes along planning to use an amateur coach position or parent-fan to fullfill his or her unrealized dreams of athletic greatness. H T White

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for all parents with children in youth sports, June 20, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Murrieta,California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Johnny Hates Sports (Paperback)

Fred Engh has hit the nail on the head with his book,"Why Johnny Hates Sports". Our children today are in the hands of Adminstrators,Coaches and parents that have only one goal,win at any cost. Mr. Engh points out in page after page that we are hurting the ones we most love, our kids. I'm going to buy a copy for every board member in my little league.Thank you Mr. Engh, I felt I was the only parent on my team that thought winning was less important that instruction and learning. Before you put your children at risk of a underskilled,overreacting coach read this book.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To the point, January 27, 2000

By 

Harry T. White (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Johnny Hates Sports (Paperback)

Sports is an important topic in many families and schools in the USA and abroad. Engh takes a courageous position and that is to say, we, as parents and amateur coaches have twisted the idea of organized sports competition and made it into a grueling exercise for its innocent victims: our children. Engh rightly points out that parents and ignorant coaches who use their amateur leadership position to wrongly influence our children as to what fair sportsmanship is all about. Engh points out that "winning" has unfortunately become the Holy Grail of youth competition. I'd rather prefer what I heard one Chinese table tennis champion say a few years back, "Winning is temporary, friendship is permanent." You only have to attend a local sports event or pick up a newspaper to hear about the tragic ways children are exposed to bickering parents, foul-mouthed opponents, loud mouth fans, unrewarded referees. Engh places himself in a vulnerable position to put the spotlighht on the very people he is asking to support his organization nationwide: the coaches, schools, youth organizations and parents. In youth sports, the child is supposed to come first, like it was in sandlot baseball and other sports in the past. But now "the organization" comes first, and corporate sponsors. children in youth sports have become a commodity. I wouldn't be surpised if some youth organizations try to ban his book because it exposes some of the politics, in-fighting and complete insensitivity that exists in youth sports today. There are many good, sensitive parents and single persons who are engaged in helping youth sports. I hope everyone of them buys a couple dozen of Engh's book and distributes them to their local libraries. Good luck, Mr. Engh ! We hope your book enlightenens the next person who comes along planning to use an amateur coach position or parent-fan to fullfill his or her unrealized dreams of athletic greatness. H T White